The formal protest process regarding our award of the Regional Behavioral Health Authority contract in Maricopa County is finally winding down.  The proceedings at the Office of Administrative Hearings (OAH) were completed a few weeks ago, and the Administrative Law Judge (ALJ) issued her recommendation on Monday, concluding that: “Based on the foregoing, it is recommended that ADHS’s award of the 2013 RBHA contract to MMIC shall be affirmed and that Magellan’s appeal shall be dismissed.” 

The Recommendation (at the end) says: “In the event of certification of the Administrative Law Judge Decision by the Director of the Office of Administrative Hearings, the effective date of the Order will be five days from the date of that certification”…  which suggests that the ALJ’s recommendation still needs to be certified by the OAH Director- and that the effective date of the recommendation would be 5 days after that.  At that point the certified recommendation would go to the Arizona Department of Administration for a final determination.